Robert Lawrence Garoffolo v Adventure Playgrounds Pty Ltd

[2021] FWC 6530

[2021] FWC 6530

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009
s.394—Unfair dismissal

Robert Lawrence Garoffolo
v
Adventure Playgrounds Pty Ltd
(U2021/9147)

COMMISSIONER BISSETT MELBOURNE, 7 DECEMBER 2021

Application for an unfair dismissal remedy

[1] On 13 October 2021 Mr Robert Lawrence Garoffolo made an application to the Fair Work Commission for a remedy for unfair dismissal pursuant to s.394 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (FW Act). Mr Garoffolo alleged he was unfairly dismissed by Adventure Playgrounds Pty Ltd on 5 October 2021.

[2] The application was incomplete in that Mr Garoffolo did not pay the required fee or file a completed waiver form.

[3] On 18 October 2021 the Commission attempted to contact Mr Garoffolo on his nominated telephone number to discuss payment of the required fee however, Mr Garoffolo did not answer the call. A voicemail message was left requesting Mr Garoffolo contact the Commission Helpline to settle the filing fee.

[4] Later that day, the Commission emailed correspondence to Mr Garoffolo’s nominated email address advising that their application required payment of the filing fee or a completed waiver form if he wished to proceed with the application. That correspondence also warned that if payment was not made or a waiver form not received within 14 days, the application may be dismissed. An SMS notification was also sent to Mr Garoffolo’s nominated telephone number advising that there was a problem with his application and requesting he contact the Commission.

[5] A further attempt to contact Mr Garoffolo was made by the Commission on 2 November 2021 to obtain payment or a completed waiver form. Mr Garoffolo advised that he was busy and to phone him back the next day.

[6] A final phone call was made to Mr Garoffolo on 4 November 2021 however the call was not answered. A voicemail message was left advising Mr Garoffolo that payment of the required fee was still outstanding.

[7] To date there has been no response from Mr Garoffolo, the required fee has not been paid and a completed waiver form has not been received.

[8] Section 395 of the FW Act, which deals with application fees, provides as follows:

395 Application fees

(1) An application to the FWC under this Division must be accompanied by any fee prescribed by the regulations.

(2) The regulations may prescribe:

(a) a fee for making an application to the FWC under this Division; and

(b) a method for indexing the fee; and

(c) the circumstances in which all or part of the fee may be waived or refunded.

[9] Section 587(1) of the FW Act provides:

587 Dismissing applications

(1) Without limiting when the FWC may dismiss an application, the FWC may dismiss an application if:

(a) the application is not made in accordance with this Act; or

(b) the application is frivolous or vexatious; or

(c) the application has no reasonable prospect of success.

[10] Having regard to the circumstances of this matter, I am satisfied that as the application was not accompanied by the fee prescribed by the FW Act, the application was not made in accordance with the FW Act. As such, the application is dismissed pursuant to s.587(1)(a) of the FW Act. An order 1 to this effect will be issued with this decision.

COMMISSIONER

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